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Forward-Looking Practices to Improve the Soft Skills of 
Software Engineers 
 

President Kenneth M. Styron, DBA | Columbia Southern University, Orange Beach, Alabama, USA 

Contact: ken@columbiasouthern.edu 

Abstract 
A four-round modified Delphi project surveyed 25 United States software engineering experts. The 
study examined software engineering leaders’ perceptions of soft-skills importance after a business 
problem identified a lack of soft-skills as a contributing factor toward the 68% organizational project 
failure rate in North American. Software project failures lead to reduced organizational performance. An 
original soft-skills framework guided the data collection and analysis process, which included 
communication, social, leadership, and thinking practices. A literature review matrix identified 35 
potential soft-skill practices included in the Round 1 instrument. The experts winnowed, ranked, 
remarked on, and added to the practices over three iterative rounds, using contextual rationales and 
ratings of desirability and feasibility. Six practices were identified as the best ways to improve software 
engineers’ (SE) soft skills, including SEs must listen to team members and stakeholders, incorporating 
the information they hear into the conversation; SEs must speak clearly and concisely; SEs must 
communicate expectations to team members; SEs must synthesize messages from others and consider 
their perspectives; SEs must employ sound reasoning to make informed and timely decisions; SEs must 
understand, articulate, and solve complex problems through analytical thinking. The Round 4 
confidence rating resulted in a 100% finding of confidence (45% mostly confident; 55% very confident). 
Communication, leadership, and thinking skills remained in the final framework; social skills were 
removed. Leaders should use the findings to guide SE training and coaching to improve their team 
members’ soft skills.  

Keywords: Soft-Skills, Delphi, Software Engineers, Communication, Thinking, Leadership, Software 
Project Failure, Collaboration 



 

 

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January 2023 | Volume 2, Number 1 

Introduction 
Jim Johnson, the Standish Group founder, stated that over 80% of North America software projects fail 
to meet stakeholder expectations, deadlines, and budget estimates (Johnson, 2020). Capretz and Ahmed 
(2018) noted that deficiencies in the soft skills of software engineers (SEs) lead to failed software 
projects. In a technology-driven world, soft skills provide the personal attributes that enable workers to 
interact effectively and work harmoniously with stakeholders; leaders must know how to properly use 
communication, negotiation, conflict resolution, decision-making, and interpersonal relationships to 
foster productive work environments (Matturro et al., 2019). Engineers traditionally focus on technical 
aspects of programming (Groeneveld et al., 2019); however, the contemporary global environment 
requires engineers to collaborate with stakeholders using soft skills to obtain competitive advantages 
(Dean & East, 2019). This modified Delphi study responded to Capretz and Ahmed’s (2018) call for 
research on improving SE soft skills.  

Background 
The soft-skill deficiencies of SEs negatively affect business outcomes (Dean & East, 2019). Engineers 
with high levels of technical abilities often possess meager soft skills, resulting in difficulty working 
with others; soft skills’ criticality mirrors that of technical skills in software engineering (Capretz & 
Ahmed, 2018). Soft-skill deficits affect business outcomes related to worker behavior, safety, 
engagement, and productivity (Dean & East, 2019). Customers can be impacted when a worker’s soft 
skills create angst or disappointment, especially those in customer-service roles in technology 
companies.  

Business Problem and Gap in Practice 
Sixty-eight percent of organizational projects (and 80% of software projects) fail in North America, 
resulting in lower performance (Johnson, 2020). Project failures consume valuable human and capital 
resources yet leave core business requirements unsatisfied (Watt & Abrams, 2019). Large project 
failures threaten the very existence of organizations (Guidiy et al., 2018). Zaman et al. (2019) found that 
organizations wasted an average of $97 million for every $1 billion spent on software development; 
Lauesen (2020) contributed waste to unmet deadlines, budget overruns, and lagging program 
requirements. The problem led to an identified cause, in the literature, as a deficiency in SE’s soft skills 
(Capretz & Ahmed, 2018), which resulted in a high failure rate in North American software projects 
(Johnson, 2020) that decreased their organizations’ competitive advantages (Dean & East, 2019).  

The literature identified multiple practice gaps regarding SEs’ soft-skill training and acquisition. First, 
when leaders do not understand the required soft skills, they cannot coach SEs to develop the skillset. 
The leaders’ gap in knowledge adds to the problem. Next, when SEs cannot leverage soft skills to 
understand customers, manage expectations, build trust, and resolve problems, their gaps in practice lead 



 

 

 

3 Business Management Research & Applications: A Cross-Disciplinary Journal 

to reduced organizational effectiveness and increased software project failures (Hyder & Iraqi, 2019). 
Thus, the practice gaps appeared in leaders and their engineers.  

Without soft skills, poor communication and misunderstandings lead to expensive and time-consuming 
project failures (Watt & Abrams, 2019). SEs have limited knowledge about soft skills because these 
skills have not been a part of the mainstream software engineering curriculum (Capretz & Ahmed, 2018) 
and, likely, have not been provided in other underlying technical training and education throughout the 
engineers’ lives. Learning new skills is difficult; therefore, understanding which practices enhancing soft 
skills will help software engineering leaders oversee the design of training programs and guide SEs 
toward self-development (Giray, 2019). 

Need and Justification for the Project 
Matturro et al. (2019) stated that further work was necessary to determine what actions industry leaders 
could take to develop soft skills to enhance software development teams’ performance and software 
projects’ outcomes. Dean and East (2019) noted the need to develop and implement strategies to address 
soft-skill deficits that negatively affect business outcomes. Zorić and Stojanov (2018) directed future 
research on specific soft skills in the software industry to improve the soft skills of SEs because the 
significance and need to improve these skills is critical, but industry leaders lack specificity as to what 
the best practices might be. Limited research and information about achieving the right balance of 
technical and soft skills prevent engineers from practicing these skills to overcome project failures (Rao, 
2018). The importance of soft skills has received more attention from organizational leaders due to 
increased cultural diversity, globalization, and technological advances (AbuJbara & Worley, 2018). 

Literature Review, Theory, and Frameworks 
This study used a modified Delphi technique, a unique qualitative method that uses a literature review 
and matrix to prime the data collection process. While qualitative methods are known for their deductive 
analysis processes, the modified Delphi approach combines inductive and deductive processes and is 
closely related to a mixed-methods approach (Linstone & Turoff, 2002). As a result, the literature 
review becomes part of the data collection process. This literature review explains the literature 
supporting the applied and soft-skills frameworks, each of which guided the study. A detailed literature 
review matrix can be accessed through Supplementary Data using the link provided at the end of the 
study (hereafter cited as Supplementary Data). 

The Applied Framework for the Study 

Previously used soft-skills frameworks incorporated competency clusters. Four competency skill 
clusters identified from the literature review included social, thinking, communication, and leadership 
skills. Clustering competencies in frameworks helps to streamline project design by reducing duplication 
(Mahasneh & Thabet, 2016). Figure 1 represents the applied framework, which combined the soft-skills 
framework competencies with the gap in practice, business problem, and goal for the study.  
 



 

 

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January 2023 | Volume 2, Number 1 

Figure 1 

Applied Framework  

 

 

Review of Conceptual Literature 
A focused approach to collecting and analyzing the literature is provided in Table 1, which identifies the 
keywords and search strings used for the process. 

Table 1 

Searching Approach 

Keyword Search strings 
Soft skills “soft skills,” “nontechnical skills,” “personal skills,” 

“people skills,” “interpersonal skills,” 
“competencies,” “transferable skills,” “softskills” 

Software engineering “software engineers,” “software engineering,” 
“software development,” “software programming,” 
“software projects,” “software,” “engineers,” 
“programming” 

Soft skills and software engineering “soft skills” and “software engineering,” “soft skills” 
and “software engineers,” “soft skills” and “software 
development,” “soft skills” and “software 
programming,” “soft skills” and “software project” 
 



 

 

 

5 Business Management Research & Applications: A Cross-Disciplinary Journal 

Literature Related to the Business Problem 
Software engineers’ ineffective soft skill practices have historically led to software project failures, 
preventing organizations from creating competitive advantages. Failed software projects cost 
organizations millions of dollars yearly (Zaman et al., 2019) and waste valuable resources (Watt & 
Abrams, 2019). Researchers have called for identifying effective soft skill practices for SEs to enhance 
project success (Ahmad et al., 2019; Matturro et al., 2019). Istiyowati et al. (2020) surveyed 66 
educators and professionals to obtain their perceptions about the competencies programmers need, 
finding that a gap in practice persists. SEs’ soft skills are critical to the success of organizations. 
Organizations cannot compete in highly competitive global markets driven by technology because of the 
current business problem. 

Literature Leading to the Soft-Skills Framework 

Soft and Hard Skills. Soft skills first appeared in the 1972 U.S. Army training manual (Moss & Tilly, 
2001). Kechagias (2011) described soft skills as the intra- and interpersonal skills essential for personal 
development, social participation, and workplace success. Soft skills were widely used in the 1990s 
(Charoensap-Kelly et al., 2016), but soft skills have received little attention (Ahmed et al., 2015). 
Technology professionals initially overlooked soft skills, but recognizing soft skills as important has 
increased over time (Capretz & Ahmed, 2018). In the early stages of mainframe computing, technical 
skills were valued more than soft skills in the computer industry; however, the current era of personal 
computers, mobile devices, and social networking emphasizes the importance of soft skills over 
technical skills (Kappelman et al., 2016).  

Waychal and Capretz (2018) conducted a qualitative descriptive research study of 136 software 
engineering students attending classes in Canada, Japan, and India. They found that software 
engineering had become an all-pervasive discipline, transitioning from traditional process and 
technology dimensions to more human sciences. Cook (2019) suggested that the software industry had 
changed due to the increasing demand for software in global markets and the advancement of 
technology. New socioeconomic and technological challenges are changing the soft skills required in a 
digitalized world (Chaibate et al., 2019). Soft skill practices are evolving due to software engineering 
becoming a people-intensive discipline (Capretz & Ahmed, 2018).  

Communication Skills and Practices. Hidayati et al. (2020) reported communication skills as one of 
the top skills required by global software development teams. Effective communication forms a pillar 
for collaborative activity (Júnior, 2018). Understanding the various stakeholders is essential because 
meeting their needs and requirements is fundamental for project success (Vanebo & Kjorstad, 2020). 
Zahid et al. (2018) suggested that software projects’ successes and failures are linked directly to SEs’ 
ability to communicate effectively with stakeholders. Inactive, inaccurate, or missing communication 
contribute to software project failures (Lehtinen et al., 2014).  

Stevens and Norman (2016) clustered the concepts of conveying complex ideas efficiently, articulating 
thoughts clearly, fostering open communication, and listening as pivotal communication skills; 



 

 

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January 2023 | Volume 2, Number 1 

Mahasneh and Thabet’s (2016) model also included listening, but added presenting, reading, speaking, 
and writing as additional and necessary communication skills.  

Communication skills are the practices SEs use to convey information so that information is received 
and understood (Gishin, 2020). Alqaisi (2018) defined communication as a dynamic process where the 
sender and receiver of information engage interactively by exchanging feedback using verbal, 
nonverbal, written, and visual communication practices. Johansson (2018) described communication as 
conveying and sense-making messages and discourse between parties. Effective communicators 
confidently deliver verbal messages using clear and concise language that they adjust depending on their 
audience (Barron & Rose, 2021). Using qualitative analysis, Coffelt et al. (2016) surveyed 165 U.S. 
employers about effective communication skills and identified active listening as a critical element for 
conversing with others and considering their thoughts. Listening allows communicators to give full 
attention to the speaker and respond appropriately by synthesizing messages and seeking further 
clarification (Barron & Rose, 2021). Johnson (2021) suggested that nonverbal cues reinforce 
communication. Hand gestures, facial expressions, and voice tone influence the delivery of verbal 
messaging while maintaining eye contact and nodding are essential active listening practices (Johnson, 
2021). Active listening and nonverbal cues are critical communication practices that enable people to 
understand others’ messaging. 

Ginting et al. (2020) conducted a qualitative study using Kirkpatrick’s model to observe the effects of 
team-building training on soft skills with MBA students in Indonesia. They found that conveying 
information using visual communication necessitates presenting information in an organized and concise 
manner. New technological innovations have created new communication channels, including texting, 
instant video conferencing, and social media platforms that call for different communication skills and 
practices (McKnight et al., 2019). Effective communication practices include choosing the appropriate 
technique, channel, and approach when communicating (Galli, 2021). Communication is a critical soft 
skill necessary for working with team members and stakeholders; however, technological advances are 
changing SEs’ communication practices with each other and stakeholders. Discerning the practices that 
enable effective communication may enhance SEs’ ability to communicate with others. 

Understanding the audience is important when communicating. Galli (2021) suggested that 
communicators consider an audience’s intellectual level and understanding to explain complicated ideas 
clearly by converting concepts into straightforward explanations. Communicators should consider 
cultural differences when developing messaging (Sekhar, 2019). Conversing with members in the 
workplace using synchronous communication increases understanding and ensures members 
comprehend shared information (Brink & Costigan, 2015). Successful communicators steer 
conversations to arrive at a consensus by delivering ideas effectively and confidently (Sekhar, 2019). 
Communication is critical to the software development process (DeFranco & Laplante, 2017). Effective 
communication practices involve the sensible transmission, understanding, and assimilation of 
information necessary for the success of software projects (Ravindranath, 2016). Sharing information is 
essential for software development, but understanding others’ points of view may be more important. 
Comprehending others and being understood is critical for communicating with team members and 



 

 

 

7 Business Management Research & Applications: A Cross-Disciplinary Journal 

stakeholders. Identifying the forward-looking practices that effectively improve communication during 
the software development phase may increase project success. 

Communication is a critical component of leadership to accomplish objectives (Cunningham et al., 
2020). Badjie (2020) asserted that communication is a manifestation of leadership used to convey a 
leader’s vision to followers. Bolte et al. (2018) conducted a qualitative study that surveyed 72 
employees of German companies about digital leadership. Bolte et al. found that open and transparent 
communication forms strong social relationships with followers. Clear communication encourages 
followers to provide feedback to improve the workplace environment and solve complex problems 
(Galli, 2021). Setting a clear vision and explaining the purpose for accomplishing objects is critical for 
maintaining followership (Promsri, 2019). Influential leaders communicate expectations so that 
followers clearly understand what is required to be successful (Galli, 2021).  

Social Skills and Practices. Social skills refer to how a person interacts with others in social settings 
(Dubey & Tiwari, 2020). Humans successfully interact when the parties can understand each other by 
recognizing behavioral cues (Baron-Cohen, 2000). Advanced social skills provide the tools to 
communicate effectively, work collaboratively in teams, and complete projects successfully (Kerzner, 
2017; Werewka & Wietecha, 2018). Mahasneh and Thabet (2016) clustered these skills into categories 
that referred to recognizing others’ feelings and knowing how to use this knowledge to help and 
influence others, calling the cluster social-intelligence soft skills. Werewka and Wietecha (2018) also 
acknowledged the importance of clustering social skills to identify SEs’ soft skill competencies. The 
social skills construct contributed to the soft-skills framework by exploring the literature on how SEs 
interact with stakeholders.  

Social skills directly relate to the practices used to work with others through social communication and 
interactions to accomplish goals (Gishin, 2020). Zaman et al. (2019) conducted a qualitative study 
surveying 242 project managers based in Pakistan to understand the soft side of software projects and 
reported that the social aspects of complex intensive jobs such as software engineering require reading 
and reacting to social settings to achieve positive business outcomes. Social skills help people identify 
underlying feelings, motives, and behaviors (Zaman et al., 2019). Social aspects include interpersonal 
relationships, personality traits, interaction, and collaboration with others objectively and subjectively 
(Ahmad et al., 2019). People with strong social skills can accurately understand other people’s thoughts 
and behavior and respond accordingly to accomplish goals (Zaman et al., 2019). Social skills are 
essential to collaboration, where different groups work together to accomplish common goals. The 
success of software projects depends on SEs’ ability to understand others and build relationships that 
reinforce teamwork.  

Social practices include interpersonal skills that build relationships by creating trust, adapting to others 
when communicating, respecting others’ attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs, and being comfortable with 
oneself (Stevens & Norman, 2016). Establishing and maintaining positive relationships is essential to 
achieving organizational outcomes in team environments (Lansdell et al., 2020). Working effectively in 
team environments contributes to achieving desired goals (Gishin, 2020). Teamwork is a vital social 
skill that requires working with others as team members and team leaders in diverse teams of different 
ages, genders, races, religions, and political positions (Pieterse & van Eekelen, 2016). Individuals should 



 

 

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January 2023 | Volume 2, Number 1 

appreciate team diversity, showing respect for the values of others by treating people fairly (Gibert et al., 
2017). Building relationships beyond existing teams to create networks of valuable partnerships 
increases the available resources to accomplish tasks (Gibert et al., 2017). Creating and maintaining 
positive relationships is essential to working with others. Social practices enable SEs to accomplish 
project goals and objectives effectively with diverse teams and stakeholders.  

Teamwork also includes resolving conflicts without degrading relationships (Stevens & Norman, 2016). 
The ability to understand feelings and emotions is known as emotional intelligence; a critical social skill 
used when working with people (Almeida & Morais, 2021). Pekaar et al. (2018) conducted a qualitative 
multilevel path analysis of weekly diaries of third-year students enrolled in higher professional 
education in the Netherlands. Pekaar et al. (2018) found that understanding emotion increases social 
effectiveness (Pekaar et al., 2018). Regulating emotion enables people to work together smoothly 
(Johnson, 2021). Remaining calm and in control even during disappointments, setbacks, or 
confrontations rather than responding defensively to others is vital to maintain positive relationships 
(Gibert et al., 2017). Expressing feelings so as not to cause judgment when providing feedback is 
essential to creating open communication (Almeida & Morais, 2021). Showing empathy for others is an 
indispensable practice for working with others.  

Empathetic leaders can effectively build and maintain relationships, making them assets to the 
organization (Gentry et al., 2016). Effective social practices maintain project performance by avoiding 
communication breakdowns, sharing knowledge, building relationships, promoting trust, and aligning 
project expectations (Kerzner, 2017). Understanding and controlling emotions in social settings are 
essential social skills to maintain relationships. Identifying the practices that enhance social interactions 
may help SEs effectively work with team members and stakeholders to increase project success. 

Thinking Skills and Practices. A critical responsibility of SEs is solving complex problems (de 
Campos et al., 2020; Jia et al., 2017) while avoiding frequent software development problems (Zykov & 
Attakorah, 2020). SEs also must think creatively to produce quality software (Jia et al., 2017). SEs must 
apply logical thinking to gather and analyze information, design and test solutions, and formulate plans 
(Ahmed et al., 2015). Werewka and Wietecha (2018) defined thinking skills as the ability to analyze, 
verify, and assess problems using analytical thinking, systems thinking, and unconventional thinking to 
find an appropriate solution. Similarly, Mahasneh and Thabet (2016) clustered analytical thinking, 
conceptual thinking, critical thinking, decision-making, decisiveness, problem-solving, reasoning, and 
systems thinking skills. Identifying thinking skills related to analytical thinking, critical thinking, and 
problem-solving may increase SEs’ abilities to solve problems using innovative and out-of-the-box 
thinking. 

Cognitive skills include creative thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving (Weber et al., 2010). 
Hawawsheh (2020) defined the thinking process as understanding the problem, generating ideas, and 
planning the implementation of solutions. Analytical thinking involves thinking logically to understand, 
articulate, and solve complex problems based on available information (Gishin, 2020). Deming (2017) 
suggested that there is no substitute for humans capable of performing open-ended tasks that require 
flexibility, creativity, and judgment. Technology advancements have increased the complexity of 



 

 

 

9 Business Management Research & Applications: A Cross-Disciplinary Journal 

problems, necessitating the demand for engineers to excel at analytical and problem-solving skills 
(Waychal & Capretz, 2017). The complexity of software development has increased with technological 
advancements and a globally connected work environment. Thinking skills are essential in today’s 
complex and competitive environment. Analyzing and processing information is critical for solving 
complex problems; therefore, understanding the forward-looking practices that positively contribute to 
problem-solving may increase SEs’ ability to find new and innovative solutions. 

De Campos et al. (2020) revealed that critical thinking, the aptitude to make informed decisions by using 
appropriate questioning with the ability to act independently and wisely, is a crucial component of 
problem-solving. Individuals must be able to self-direct, discipline, regulate, and correct (Almeida & 
Morais, 2021) to proactively modify behavior to deal with changes (Barron & Rose, 2021) and become 
more effective (Gupta & Gouttam, 2017).  

Practical problem-solving includes generating, evaluating, and implementing numerous possible 
solutions to resolve issues (Pallathadka, 2020). Problem solvers evaluate and assimilate information 
from multiple sources (Barron & Rose, 2021). Gibert et al. (2017) suggested that creative thinking is 
essential to problem-solving. Creative thinkers consider the bigger picture, long-term implications, and 
wide-ranging possibilities when developing solutions. Existing practices or methods do not limit 
potential solutions; problem solvers are open to new ideas and adapt to changing environments (Gibert 
et al., 2017). Decision-making is the most critical component of problem-solving (de Campos et al., 
2020). When problem-solvers identify solutions, they make effective decisions founded on sound 
reasoning (Barron & Rose, 2021).  

Weber et al. (2009) conducted a qualitative Delphi study to assess the soft-skill competencies of entry-
level managers in the United States. Weber’s findings indicated that creative thinking, making sound 
decisions, and solving complex problems were important soft skills.  

Leadership Skills and Practices. Successful leadership requires soft skills that influence the innovation 
and performance of others to achieve a common goal (Northouse, 2018). The changing nature of 
leadership has shifted from authoritarian- to relationship-based styles, requiring leaders to build and 
maintain relationships through person-focused skills (Gentry et al., 2016). SE leaders must lead and run 
projects, take ownership and responsibility for their actions, and support what they consider important 
and correct (de Campos et al., 2020). Jena and Satpathy (2017) argued that leadership is a critical soft 
skill because leaders play a more important role in situations where others do not directly manage 
individuals. Leadership in the workplace boosts productivity (de Campos et al., 2020) and contributes to 
project success (Zhang et al., 2013). While Mahasneh and Thabet (2016) and Werewka and Wietecha 
(2018) failed to include leadership as a primary construct, Dubey and Tiwari (2020) and Ballesteros-
Sánchez et al. (2019), and Weber et al. indicated that leadership is a vital soft skill for SEs.  

Leadership is influencing people to achieve common goals (Northouse, 2018). Most importantly, 
leadership is available to everyone (Shuck & Herd, 2012). Jena and Satpathy (2017) argued that 
leadership is more important when others do not directly manage individuals. Dubey and Tiwari (2020) 
conducted a quantitative analysis of the soft skills gap with novice information and communication 
technology professionals in India and found that leadership is one of the most critical soft skills in the IT 



 

 

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January 2023 | Volume 2, Number 1 

sector, including software engineering. Leadership skills enable leaders to handle difficult situations 
resiliently (AbuJbara & Worley, 2018). Professional leadership practices are also necessary when 
negotiating with others, creating collaborative environments, and resolving conflicts (Weber et al., 
2010). Successful leaders practice good leadership and lead by example (Galli, 2021). Effective 
leadership results in excellent teamwork and collaboration, which improves organizational performance 
(Ravindranath, 2016). Software engineering requires engineers to take leadership roles during different 
stages of software development; therefore, identifying effective leadership practices is essential for 
enhancing SEs’ ability to lead. 

Gibert et al. (2017) recommended that leaders inspire a strong desire for followers to succeed by 
steering members toward successful goals and task completion. Leaders should help individuals to 
improve the skills and abilities necessary to achieve success by providing constructive feedback (Gibert 
et al., 2017). Evaluating, analyzing, and providing criticism on employees’ behaviors and abilities 
inspires employees by helping them to improve through self-development (Ginting et al., 2020). 
Developing employees using coaching and mentoring unleashes their full potential and abilities 
(Srivastava & Jain, 2017). Because communication with team members and stakeholders is critical for 
project success, determining which leadership practices increase communication and followership may 
help SEs lead and communicate more effectively with team members. 

Leadership influences innovation as well (Sopa et al., 2020). Innovative behavior that generates, 
promotes, and helps employees realize new ideas in the workplace has become a critical leadership 
practice that drives innovation (da Silva et al., 2016). According to Edison et al. (2018), innovation is 
critical for SEs to create and sustain competitive advantages. Innovative behavior generates effective 
solutions for complex problems (de Campos et al., 2020). Successful leaders create supportive 
environments for innovation (Rybakova et al., 2019). One way of doing this is empowering employees 
to take risks and even fail when exploring new opportunities, which is critical for innovation (Promsri, 
2019). Bolte et al. (2018) suggested that leaders must accept mistakes to enable innovation. Kuratko et 
al. (2014) explained that tomorrow’s competitive advantages are grounded in today’s innovation; 
therefore, taking risks and exploring new ideas are essential. Klein (2020) argued that leaders must have 
a vision for the future and be innovative.  

Findings from Soft-Skills Literature 

Researchers attempted to address software projects’ failure by investigating the soft-skill practices 
influencing projects’ success. The findings of nine studies from 2014 to 2021 indicated soft skill 
practices critical to SEs and project success (Table 2). Practitioners have yet to address the underlying 
factors that cause catastrophic project failures as software projects fail (Zaman et al., 2019).  

  



 

 

 

11 Business Management Research & Applications: A Cross-Disciplinary Journal 

Table 1 

Software Engineering Soft Skill Studies  

Reference Method Findings 

(Ahmed et 
al., 2015).  

Qualitative 
exploratory 
mapping study 

Communication, team player, problem-solving, and 
interpersonal skills were in high demand for SEs. 

(Bailey, 
2014).  
 

Qualitative case 
study  

The most important skill for software developers was 
problem-solving, followed by adaptability, accepting 
constructive criticism, listening, teamwork, time 
management, idea generation, exhibiting a customer 
mentality, investigating using interpersonal skills, 
communicating in inter-team environments, transferring 
knowledge and verbal communication.  

(Matturro 
et al., 
2019). 

Qualitative 
systematic 
mapping study.  

The most mentioned skills were communication, teamwork, 
analytical, organizational, interpersonal, leadership, and 
problem-solving. 

(Mtsweni 
et al., 
2016). 
 

Quantitative 
analysis of 
industry experts’ 
opinions. 

The study reported that team player, personal integrity, 
group work, time management, open communication, 
listening skills, problem-solving, critical thinking, 
trustworthiness, and ability to work under pressure as the 
most in-demand skills and attributes. 

(Groeneve
ld et al., 
2019). 
 

Qualitative 
systematic 
literature review 
of software 
engineering. 

Identified communication, teamwork, self-reflection, 
conflict resolution, mentoring, and leadership as important 
soft skills for SEs. 
 

(Iriarte & 
Orè, 
2017). 
 

Qualitative 
systematic 
literature review 
of IT project 
success. 

The most mentioned soft skills for IT project managers were 
communication, leadership, conflict management, thinking, 
innovativeness, change orientation, negotiation, motivation, 
and problem-solving. 
 

Reference Method Findings 

(de 
Campos et 
al., 2020) 
 

Qualitative 
systematic 
literature review 
of employability 
soft skills of 
engineers. 

The literature review revealed the most employable soft 
skills of problem-solving, critical thinking, creative 
thinking, communication, teamwork, ethics, and emotional 
intelligence. 



 

 

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(Zykov & 
Attakorah, 
2020) 
 

Qualitative case 
study of human 
factors. 
 

Researchers found that communication, experience, team 
composition, motivation, teamwork, management, conflict 
resolution, and problem-solving soft skills increased project 
success. 

(Burbekov
a, 2021) 

Quantitative and 
qualitative data 
analysis. 

The researcher found that creativity, persuasion, 
collaboration, adaptability, and emotional intelligence 
ranked highest among those soft skills in demand for 2020. 
 

Note. A complete literature matrix used to create the Round 1 instrument can be accessed through 
Appendix A in the Supplementary Data file (see References). 

Working with people, guaranteeing customer satisfaction, and developing favorable atmospheres that 
promote collaboration are essential to complete projects successfully on time and within budget 
(Ravindranath, 2016). Internal conflict and dysfunctional group dynamics can hinder team effectiveness, 
which is critical for creating competitive advantages (Komla et al., 2018). Soft skills help people 
overcome interpersonal challenges by equipping individuals with empathy and communication skills to 
lead more effectively, which increases performance and productivity (Rao, 2018). Researchers have 
identified over 30 soft skills that may improve SEs’ soft skill deficiencies; however, agreement on which 
soft skill practices are most important varied among researchers. The extensive list of soft skill practices 
may confuse SEs as to which practices are most effective. 

Researchers disagree on which soft skills are more important, creating conflicting results as to which 
soft skill practices are beneficial for improving the soft skills of SEs. Societal and technological 
innovations such as the internet, social media, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things are 
changing how people interact and work together (Golay, 2020). Current and historical practices 
identified in the literature review may help leaders address SEs’ soft skill deficiencies. Leaders would 
benefit from new knowledge about the soft skill practices that may improve the soft skills of SEs. 
Improving the soft skill practices of SEs may increase project success, allowing organizations to develop 
the competitive advantages necessary to compete in a technologically driven world. 
 

The Soft-Skills Competency Framework 
A pre-study soft-skills competencies framework (Figure 2) was created from the literature review and 
contributed to guiding the instrumentation for Round 1 of the study. The study tested the framework 
using the modified Delphi process. 

  



 

 

 

13 Business Management Research & Applications: A Cross-Disciplinary Journal 

Figure 2 

Soft Skills Competencies Framework 

 

Note. This competency framework identifies clusters of soft skills, which was transformed by Styron 
(2021) from Werewka and Wietecha (2018) and Mahasneh and Thabet (2016).  
 

Research Technique 
A modified Delphi technique identified forward-looking practices to improve the soft skills of SEs as 
viewed by a nationwide panel of software engineering leaders with soft skills acumen. The study 
determined the extent to which consensus was achieved regarding the practices’ desirability and 
feasibility, and included the following research questions:  

RQ1: What are the forward-looking practices that successful software engineering leaders 
perceive could improve the soft skills of software engineers? 



 

 

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January 2023 | Volume 2, Number 1 

RQ2: To what extent is there consensus among a panel of soft-skilled, expert software 
engineering leaders as to desirable, feasible, and forward-looking practices which could improve 
the soft skills of SEs? 

Sampling and Recruitment 

Panelists for this project consisted of expert leaders with soft skills and the acumen of software 
development teams. The project experts were required to have the following characteristics:   

• Led software development teams in the United States for at least 5 years; 
• Their teams exhibited excellent team dynamics and high project completion rates; 
• Possessed soft skills acumen. 

Software development included internal and external software solutions.  

A third-party service, User Interviews, recruited participants for the project. This proprietary service 
gives researchers access to over 400,000 vetted members of the company’s community (User 
Interviews, n.d.). The recruitment announcement included a description of the project, inclusion criteria, 
survey format, potential benefits, participant expectations, and time commitment, as recommended by 
Skulmoski et al. (2007). 

Experts were told to expect four rounds of online surveys during a 4-to-6-week period, each requiring 
between 15 and 30 minutes to complete. User Interviews compiled a list of qualified members interested 
in participating in the project. I vetted the final list of participants using their self-reported work 
experience and knowledge of software development and by manually reviewing their LinkedIn profiles. 

The panel size of industry experts is also essential to produce quality output results (Skulmoski et al., 
2007). While Vernon (2009) claimed that panel size did not correlate to a study’s effectiveness, 
Skulmoski et al. claimed larger groups may produce more convincing results but require more effort, 
recommending sizes of 15 to 20 members. Bardecki (1984) warned against panels smaller than 10 
members and advised that Delphi studies have a 20% to 30% dropout range. Therefore, 25 participants 
were recruited to allow for attrition. 

Data Collection and Analysis 
 
The instruments used for each round are pivotal to a successful modified Delphi study. The literature 
review guided the creation of the Round 1 instrument; each subsequent round emerged from the previous 
round’s results.  
 
Participants 
 
Table 3 provides the participants in the study and their backgrounds, expertise, and experiences. I reviewed 
the backgrounds of 46 expert applicants. Of those, 19 were rejected due to not having the required 



 

 

 

15 Business Management Research & Applications: A Cross-Disciplinary Journal 

experience (i.e., 13 had less than 5 years of experience, seven had worked on less than 5 projects, and 16 
had led less than 3 projects). Twenty-seven experts were invited to participate; twenty-five accepted the 
invitation. 
 
Table 3 

Participant Demographics 

P# Occupation Locality Employees Race Gender 
P1 Senior SE Northeast U.S. 51-200 A F 
P2 IT Consultant / SE Northeast U.S. 201-1000 BoAA M 
P3 Computer SE Southwest U.S. 10,001+ W M 
P4 Senior Web Application 

Developer 
Midwest U.S. 2-10 W F 

P5 Senior Front-End Developer Midwest U.S. 10,001+ W M 
P6 Senior SE and Manager Northwest U.S. 51-200 U M 
P7 SE Northeast U.S. 10,001+ BoAA M 
P8 Software Engineering 

Manager 
Northeast U.S. 11-50 HoL M 

P9 Chief Software Architect Midwest U.S. 1001-5000 W M 
P10 Android SE Northwest U.S. 1001-5000 A M 
P11 SE Midwest U.S. 201-1000 BoAA M 
P12 SE Northwest U.S. 51-200 W F 
P13 Lead SE Northwest U.S. 51-200 U M 
P14 Sr. Software Development 

Consultant 
Northeast U.S. 11-50 W M 

P15 Computer SE Northeast U.S. 10,001+ A M 
P16 Engineering Program 

Manager 
Northeast U.S. 10,001+ A F 

P17 SE / Software Architect Northwest U.S. 11-50 W M 
P18 Business Owner / SE Southeast U.S. 11-50 W M 
P19 Computer SE Northeast U.S. 201-1000 W M 
P20 Director of Technology Northwest U.S. 1001-5000 BoAA M 
P21 SE Southwest U.S. 10,001+ W M 
P22 Software Engineering 

Manager 
Northeast U.S. 10,001+ W M 

P23 SE Northeast U.S. 1001-5000 BoAA M 
P24 Associate Director of IT Southeast U.S. 1001-5000 W M 
P25 Senior Customer Engineer Northwest U.S. 10,001+ W M 

Note. Of the 25 participants, 12 had academic degrees or certifications, 22 were considered experts in their organi-
zations, and 8 were recognized as experts in software engineering. Abbreviations used are United States (U.S.), 
Female (F), Male (M), Asian (A), Black or African American (BoAA), Hispanic or Latino (HoL), Unknown (U), 
and White (W). 



 

 

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January 2023 | Volume 2, Number 1 

Data Collection 
Following a strict timeline reduced attrition. A test run of Round 1 occurred on October 14, 2021, and 
the pilot ran smoothly. Participants received the Round 1 survey via Survey Monkey on October 18, 
2021. The rounds and their response rates and dates are in Table 4. 

Table 4 

Data Collection Timeline and Survey Response Rates 

Round Start date End date Participants Completed Response 
rate 

1 October 18, 2021 October 23, 2021 25 24 96% 
2 October 25, 2021 October 29, 2021 24 23 96% 
3 November 1, 2021 November 3, 2021 23 23 100% 
4 November 4, 2021 November 10, 2021 23 23 100% 

 

Data Analysis and Preliminary Findings 
This modified Delphi project consisted of four rounds of survey analysis. The iterative process of the 
modified Delphi project requires analysis and findings between rounds because the results of each round 
inform the next rounds’ survey instrument (Day & Bobeva, 2005). 

Round 1 

Round 1 began using the instrument created from the literature matrix, which was loaded into Survey 
Monkey and sent to the 25 participants who had accepted the invitation. That instrument contained 45 
items (35 practices and 10 additional questions and comments). The instrument, literature matrix, and 
Round 1 response tables can be accessed through files found in the Supplementary Data. Instrument 
wording appears in Appendix B of the tables’ titles for Tables B1 to B45 (see Supplementary Data). 
Participants were encouraged to agree or disagree with each item, provide feedback for their choices, 
and provide additional items with rationale. Table 5 shows how the items changed between rounds 1 and 
2 based on participant feedback.  

More than 50% of the participants agreed with the 35 practices. However, 44% of the participants 
disagreed with SEs must use nonverbal postures, hand gestures, facial expressions, and voice tone to 
reinforce the intended message, which was the practice receiving the most negative feedback and 
agreement level.  



 

 

 

17 Business Management Research & Applications: A Cross-Disciplinary Journal 

A total of 11 practices were revised using the participants’ comments to increase clarity or capture the 
intended context of the original statement (Table 5). For example, I revised that SEs must be willing to 
take and accept risks that may result in failure to explore new opportunities because 29% of the experts 
provided the rationale for avoiding failure. 

Table 5 

Soft Skill Practice Revisions 

Original Statement Type of Practices Revised Statement 
Communication 

Software engineers must speak clearly and con-
cisely with confidence. 

Software engineers must speak clearly and 
concisely. 

Software engineers must synthesize messages 
from others considering their perspectives. 

Software engineers must synthesize mes-
sages from others and consider their per-
spectives. 

Software engineers must communicate with the 
appropriate technique, channel, and approach. 

Software engineers must consider the con-
text and setting when choosing communica-
tion methods. 

Software engineers must consider the intellectual 
level and understanding of the audience to ex-
plain complicated ideas clearly. 

Software engineers must consider the back-
ground of the audience and be able to break 
down complicated ideas into concepts that 
can be simply understood by those who are 
not technical. 

Social  
Software engineers must establish and maintain 
positive relationships inside and outside an or-
ganization. 

Software engineers must establish and 
maintain positive relationships with 
coworkers, clients, and vendors. 

Software engineers must consider the diversity 
of other team members. 

 

Software engineers must consider the many 
different perspectives of team members. 

 
Thinking 

Software engineers must identify and fill gaps in 
information required to solve problems. 

Software engineers must identify and fill 
gaps in information required to solve prob-
lems. 

Leadership 
Software engineers must influence others to take 
action(s) otherwise not considered. 

Software engineers must lead others to take 
action(s) otherwise not considered. 

Software engineers must lead by example. Software engineers must lead by example 
following rules, so as not to be hypocritical. 



 

 

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January 2023 | Volume 2, Number 1 

Software engineers must inspire a strong desire 
to succeed among team members by steering 
others towards successful goals and task comple-
tion. 

Software engineers must inspire a strong de-
sire to succeed among team members by en-
couraging others towards successful goals 
and task completion. 

Software engineers must be willing to take and 
accept risks that may result in failure to explore 
new opportunities. 

Software engineers must be willing to take 
and accept risks to explore new opportuni-
ties. 

Note. See Appendix B in Supplementary Data for full list of participant comments leading to the 
changed items. 

Recommendations were categorized into the four soft-skill categories, providing eight new communica-
tion practices, 10 new social practices, eight new thinking practices, and nine new leadership practices. 
Common themes identified from the comments that were not part of the original list of practices in-
cluded written communication, empathy, health and wellness, and time management. Suggestions such 
as health and wellness were excluded from Round 2 because they are not soft skills. Table 6 provides 
the new instrument created from Round 1 results for Round 2. 

Table 6 

Additional Practices Moved to Round 2 

Communication Practices 
Software engineers must learn and practice public speaking. 
Software engineers must listen to team members and stakeholders, incorporating the infor-
mation they hear into the conversation. 
Software engineers must use written communication to explain ideas clearly. 
Software engineers must be open to receiving feedback and constructive criticism from super-
visors, managers, and team members. 
Software engineers must be able to write reports that provide details explanations about pro-
cesses and objectives and describe design choices and products. 
Software engineers must be able to use storying telling to convey complex ideas and keep 
others engaged in discussion. 
Software engineers must have good presentation skills. 
Software engineers must control the conversation, keeping the conversation open but within 
the scope of the conversation, so the main idea does not get lost. 

Social Practices 
Software engineers must realize when team members need help and reach out to them. 
Software engineers must have humility and know when to say, “I don’t know.” 
Software engineers must use empathy to understand and relate to problems others may share. 
Software engineers must be able to improve their skills by teaching others. 
Software engineers must set boundaries to avoid unhealthy relationships. 
Software engineers must ask for help when the need arises. 



 

 

 

19 Business Management Research & Applications: A Cross-Disciplinary Journal 

Software engineers must play devil’s advocate in a respectful manner. 
Software engineers must cooperate with others by working alongside team members to 
achieve the goals of the organization. 
Software engineers must ask team members what they can help with rather than asking if they 
need help. 
Software engineers must speak up when they see something inappropriate that makes them or 
others uncomfortable.  

Thinking Practices 
Software engineers must be able to change priorities according to demands.  
Software engineers must reflect on events to avoid problems in the future. 
Software engineers must be aware of implicit biases and work on combating them. 
Software engineers must be able to consider that their perspectives are wrong and adjust their 
approach to solving a problem. 
Software engineers must be able to use design thinking to adapt ideas to new places. 
Software engineers must be aware of time while developing new ideas and find solutions with 
real timelines. 
Software engineers must balance practical and ideal solutions because the ideal solution could 
take unlimited time or resources. 
Software engineers must be life-long learners.  

Leadership Practices 
Software engineers must be able to lead and manage teams efficiently. 
Software engineers must make sure everyone has everything they need to be successful. 
Software engineers must share goals publicly. 
Software engineers must motivate employees by giving them new responsibilities to increase 
their investment in the organization. 
Software engineers must give team members the opportunity take new challenges. 
Software engineers must know when and how to delegate tasks. 
Software engineers must give team members the opportunity to learn new skills. 
Software engineers must look for opportunities to mentor team members. 
Software engineers must empower team members.  

 
 
Round 2 

In Round 2, the experts rated the desirability and feasibility of the forward-looking practices using 
specially worded Likert-type scales for the desirability and feasibility ratings created by Linstone and 
Turoff (2002) for this type of Delphi study. The scale consisted of the following ratings: 1 = very 
undesirable, 2 = undesirable, 3 = neither desirable nor undesirable, 4 = desirable, and 5 = very 
desirable. The feasibility scale mirrored the desirability scale, changing desirable to feasible.  

Delphi studies use a predetermined cutoff point to determine initial consensus, typically from 70% to 
80%. While 27 practices earned > 80% for desirability, they were < 80% for feasibility, requiring 
omission from Round 3. For example, the experts rated SEs must be open to receiving feedback and 



 

 

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January 2023 | Volume 2, Number 1 

constructive criticism from supervisors, managers, and team members at 100%; however, the 
participants reported a 70% feasibility for the practice.  

Participants were asked for rationales for ratings of 1 or 5. An example of an item receiving mixed 
feedback was that SEs must have good presentation skills. P12 said it was not required for the job 
(giving a 3 rating), while P19 gave a 5 rating, saying, “Presentation is a key aspect in delivering 
information to a group of people.” Using the 80% cutoff point, 15 practices moved from Round 2 to 
Round 3 (Table 7).  

Table 7 

Round 3 Practices by Category 

Communication 
Software engineers must speak clearly and concisely. 
Software engineers must synthesize messages from others and consider their perspectives. 
Software engineers must actively listen to speakers, giving full attention to the speaker. 
Software engineers must listen to team members and stakeholders, incorporating the infor-
mation they hear into the conversation. 

Social 
Software engineers must collaborate with and support team members by sharing resources, 
ideas, and encouragement to achieve desired goals. 
Software engineers must ask for help when the need arises. 
Software engineers must cooperate with others by working alongside team members to 
achieve the goals of the organization. 

Thinking 
Software engineers must understand, articulate, and solve complex problems through analyti-
cal thinking. 
Software engineers must learn and seek to fill gaps in information required to solve problems. 
Software engineers must be adaptable and receptive to new ideas. 
Software engineers must employ sound reasoning to make informed and timely decisions. 
Software engineers must balance practical and ideal solutions because the ideal solution could 
take unlimited time or resources. 
Software engineers must be life-long learners. 

Leadership 
Software engineers must clearly communicate expectations to team members. 
Software engineers must communicate a clear vision and purpose to team members and stake-
holders. 

 

 
 
 



 

 

 

21 Business Management Research & Applications: A Cross-Disciplinary Journal 

Round 3 

The process for Round 3 included the experts’ weight-ranking the remaining 15 practices. The rankings 
were A (highest = 4) to D (lowest = 1). Only practices with A or B were calculated into the final 
frequency rate, and an agreement level of 80% was used to rank the practices. Table 8 provides the final 
six practices for Round 3, ranked in order. This list answered the study’s first research question: What 
are the forward-looking practices that successful software engineering leaders perceive could improve 
the soft skills of software engineers? 

Table 8 

Top-Ranked and Ordered Practices with Categories 

Rank Practice Soft skill category 
1 

 

Software engineers must listen to team members and stake-
holders, incorporating the information they hear into the 
conversation. 
 

Communication 

2 Software engineers must speak clearly and concisely. Communication 

3 Software engineers must clearly communicate expectations 
to team members. 
 

Leadership 

4 Software engineers must synthesize messages from others 
and consider their perspectives. 
 

Communication 

5 Software engineers must employ sound reasoning to make 
informed and timely decisions. 
 

Thinking 

6 Software engineers must understand, articulate, and solve 
complex problems through analytical thinking. 
 

Thinking 

 

Round 4 

Confidence levels for the final listed practices resulted from the Round 4 iteration from the experts. 
Table 9 items were sent to 24 participants, and 23 responded; they were asked to rate each item on a 5-
point Likert scale regarding confidence, where 1 = not confident at all, 2 = somewhat unconfident, 3 = 
neither confident nor unconfident, 4 = mostly confident, 5 = very confident. Every participant ranked the 
items as either mostly confident (45%) or very confident (55%) and provided feedback rationalizing their 
scores. Table 9 organizes their comments among confidence levels. Because all of the remaining 
practices received ratings of 4 or 5, they all comprise the study’s final findings, answering Research 
Question 2: To what extent is there consensus among a panel of soft-skilled, expert software engineering 



 

 

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January 2023 | Volume 2, Number 1 

leaders as to desirable and feasible, forward-looking practices which could improve the soft skills of 
SEs? 

Table 9 

Final Confidence Ratings of Participants 

P Mostly Confident 
P1 

 
P5 

 

P6 

 

 
P7 

 
P10 

 

 
 

P12 

 

P15 

P17 

 
P18 

 

This captures the majority of the role of software engineers. Software engineer must 
also have good organizational skills 

I think this is a perfect group of practices software engineers must have for soft skills. 
Having these 6 critical skills together will make them good team players, good thinkers 
and thus keep them on track for any project. 

I think the 6 practices identified are the most important soft skills that a software engi-
neer must have. I would also add that Software Engineers must be able to identify, 
evaluate and provide solutions that align to current timelines, budget, and the reality of 
the project. 

I feel that grouping this six skills together is good and proper because they all work 
hand in hand. 

Most of the choices are focused on clear communication and rational decisions and I 
believe that those are central to improving soft skills. The more engineers communicate 
effectively the better off the projects they work in will be as well as their relationships 
with teammates. Considering others’ perspectives is crucial towards getting to the best 
solution as well by getting a wide range of inputs and opinions.  

I think it is a very solid list of soft skills for software engineers. The above-mentioned 
attributes strongly develop and make them successful in their workplaces and even be-
yond. 

I know I’m confident in this six practices we have been talking about.  

Sometimes get mixed feedback from the team. Some say everything is very clear and 
others say things can be more clear when I propose something 

Though being able to code, think analytically, and find solutions is very important, in 
the current work environment, being able to communicate effectively is what separates 
the great developers from the rest. You can find plenty of people who can sling code, 
but finding someone who can understand the problem from all perspectives, and work 
in tandem with other arms of the business to find solutions is truly valuable. I feel that 



 

 

 

23 Business Management Research & Applications: A Cross-Disciplinary Journal 

 

 

 

 
 

P23 

working on increasing the skills of software engineers in the soft skill area helps make 
developers that understand the whole problem, the purpose of the exercise, and come 
up with timely and effective solutions. In my experience I have seen more projects fail 
because of poor communication on expectations and reasons for the project than I ever 
have from technical issues. With Agile and other formats taking hold in all areas, the 
ability to understand the larger picture and communicate it is going to be the linchpin 
of any good organization. 

I like that it emphasizes clarity of communication, which I think is a huge bottleneck to 
technical communication 

 Very Confident 
P8 

 
P9 

 
P11 

 
P13 

 

 

 
P16 

 

P19 

P20 

 

P21 

P22 

This is a very good list, however, I did feel there were some other skills that were 
equally if not more important than some listed above 

I feel mostly confident that I have these skills, but probably all of them still have room 
for improvement. 

These skills seems to group around communication and problem solving, which are all 
critical skills for being an effective software engineer 

This looks like it aligns mostly if not completely with my rankings from the previous 
session. I agree with all of these statements and I think these are the most important 
items out of the sets that were included in the previous sessions. In addition to being 
able to solve problems and create sound designs & implementations (which is really 
the core task of being an engineer), engineers need to be able to listen and communi-
cate well, which is the core of most of the statements above. 

Going through those skills again, makes me even realize how more they are important 
and how they are going to skyrocket the improvements of soft skills of software engi-
neers, because they all work together. 

I respond affirmatively to each of these statements without reservation. 

I feel like success is contingent on the individual’s willingness to embrace soft skills, 
that being a software engineer is more than being smart. If an individual is willing, then 
I’m mostly confident that these skills will work. 

Yeah, it was worth it 

I remember that these are ones that I thought were the most important, so I’m happy to 
see that other people felt that way also. 

Note. Comments are provided verbatim. 
 



 

 

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January 2023 | Volume 2, Number 1 

Discussion and Implications 
 
In the pre-study applied framework (Figure 1), the stated study goals were to identify the forward-
looking practices that experts recommended, by consensus, as desirable and feasible soft-skills practices 
of software engineers. The pre-study soft-skills framework (Figure 2) included four categories and 12 
competencies. The study experts agreed that of those original categories and competencies, three 
categories and six competencies (Table 8) were applicable. Social skills did not appear as one of the 
final categories, with leadership, communication, and thinking skills remaining as categories and 
contributing to the final framework. The final soft-skills competency framework is shown in Figure 3. 

Figure 3 

Styron Soft-Skills Competency Framework 

 

Application to the Literature 
 
The project’s findings align with scholarly and practitioner literature emphasizing soft skills’ 
importance. This project extended the research of Matturro et al. (2019). Industry experts’ identification 
and evaluation of current, historical, and forward-looking practices produced a list of desirable and 
feasible top-ranked practices, adding to the literature concerning soft skills and software engineering.  



 

 

 

25 Business Management Research & Applications: A Cross-Disciplinary Journal 

This project confirmed the research of Hidayati et al. (2020) and Júnior (2018), who reported 
communication as one of the top skills required by software development teams. Alqaisi’s (2018) study 
explained that communication is a dynamic process where the sender and receiver interchange 
interactively, exchanging feedback with each other to communicate emerged out of the six remaining 
practices. Gishin (2020) explained that communication, in the form of understandable information 
conveyance, was the most critical soft skill. Sekhar (2019) stated that software engineers must consider 
cultural differences when developing messaging. Each of this study’s findings supported these previous 
research studies. 

Cunningham et al. (2020) stated that communication is a critical component of leadership used to 
accomplish goals. The forward-looking practice of “SEs must communicate expectations to team 
members” supported the research of Galli (2021), who offered that leaders must communicate 
expectations so that followers clearly understand what is required to be successful. The leadership 
practice emphasizes the importance noted by Galli (20201) that the foundation of effective leadership is 
rooted in communication. 

The forward-looking practices related to the category of thinking soft skills accentuated the importance 
of analytical thinking and problem-solving by SEs, as noted by Gishin (2020) and Waychal and Capretz 
(2017). The practice of “SEs must employ sound reasoning to make informed and timely decisions” 
confirmed the research of Barron and Rose (2021), who found that making effective decisions requires 
sound reasoning based on the evaluation and assimilation of information from multiple sources. The 
thinking practice of “SEs must understand, articulate, and solve complex problems through analytical 
thinking” reinforced the research of Werewka and Wietecha (2018). These two thinking practices stress 
the importance of SEs’ analysis, verification, and assessment of problems to create viable solutions. 

This project contributed to practitioner knowledge by narrowing the knowledge gap for applying 
practices to improve SEs’ soft skills. The literature review of historical and current practices identified 
35 soft skills practices, and the expert panel suggested an additional 35 practices that may increase the 
soft skills of SEs. Seventy practices identified in this project may assist leaders with developing SEs’ 
soft skills. Fifteen practices were deemed desirable and feasible by the panel of experts at 80% 
agreement; however, 27 were rated desirable and feasible at 70% agreement, providing practitioners 
with additional practices that may be beneficial for improving soft skills.  

The final results present the six top-ranked practices that may be the most important to practitioners. The 
results of this project contribute to practitioner knowledge by providing these practices from industry 
leaders. The insight gained from this project may help solve the specific business problem noted by 
Capretz and Ahmed (2018) that SEs’ soft skill deficiencies result in high software project failure rates. 
Improving SEs’ soft skills may increase project success. 

 



 

 

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January 2023 | Volume 2, Number 1 

Project Application and Recommendations 
The findings of this project may be applied to the business need for strategies to address the SEs’ soft 
skills deficits that affect project outcomes, as noted by Dean and East (2019). The continued growth of 
the software industry has increased the demand for leaders to develop the abilities of SEs to increase 
project success (Capretz & Ahmed, 2018). Organizational leaders attempt to meet this demand by 
investing in interactive training and workshops to help engineers build soft skills (Hyder & Iraqi, 2019). 
P18 stated,  

I feel that working on increasing the skills of SEs in the soft skill area helps make developers that 
understand the whole problem, the purpose of the exercise, and come up with timely and 
effective solutions. In my experience I have seen more projects fail because of poor 
communication on expectations and reasons for the project than I ever have from technical 
issues.  
 

The results of this project may assist leaders with developing training programs that highlight the 
importance and application of practices to improve SEs’ soft skills. I recommend that software 
engineering leaders use the six top-ranked practices identified by the experts in this project to form the 
basis for training programs to improve the SEs’ soft skills. The confidence of the expert panel indicates 
that these practices may improve soft skills for SEs and other professionals. 

Ibrahim et al. (2017) proposed role-playing and game activities for soft skills development. I 
recommend that leaders use gamification techniques to assist SEs with understanding, articulating, and 
solving complex problems using analytical thinking. Gamification may increase the transfer of soft skills 
that, according to Charoensap-Kelly et al. (2016), are more difficult than hard skills because soft skills 
are more challenging to measure. SEs should embrace leadership by clearly communicating expectations 
to team members. Leadership workshops would help engineers build the soft skills necessary to meet the 
demands of their organization.  

Recommendations for future research include evaluating the feasibility of specific soft skills identified 
in this project and comparing the soft skill practices used by SEs with software engineering leaders. 
How do the soft skills necessary for success differ between these two roles? Future research may 
contribute to software engineering and add to the body of knowledge concerning soft skills. 

Conclusion 
This study emphasized the importance of soft skills for SEs to communicate with others, work in teams, 
problem-solve, and lead projects. P1 summed it best by stating, “Soft skills are about the human 
connection. We’re not just machines even though we interact with them a lot.” Soft skills enable SEs to 
work with people and accomplish the organization’s goals (Capretz & Ahmed, 2018). This project 
intended to and did provide industry leaders with real-world practices to improve the soft skills of SEs.  



 

 

 

27 Business Management Research & Applications: A Cross-Disciplinary Journal 

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35 Business Management Research & Applications: A Cross-Disciplinary Journal 

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Appendices A and B to the study are located in the Supplementary Data file found here: 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XFH_I3aGV7YvJ7X7_D_48UTdqxk_M4Xd/view?usp=sharing  

 

  

https://arxiv.org/abs/2007.12019
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https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XFH_I3aGV7YvJ7X7_D_48UTdqxk_M4Xd/view?usp=sharing


 

 

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	Abstract
	Introduction
	Background
	The soft-skill deficiencies of SEs negatively affect business outcomes (Dean & East, 2019). Engineers with high levels of technical abilities often possess meager soft skills, resulting in difficulty working with others; soft skills’ criticality mirro...
	Business Problem and Gap in Practice
	Literature Review, Theory, and Frameworks
	The Applied Framework for the Study
	Review of Conceptual Literature
	Table 1
	Literature Related to the Business Problem
	The Soft-Skills Competency Framework
	Figure 2
	Research Technique
	RQ2: To what extent is there consensus among a panel of soft-skilled, expert software engineering leaders as to desirable, feasible, and forward-looking practices which could improve the soft skills of SEs?
	Sampling and Recruitment
	Panelists for this project consisted of expert leaders with soft skills and the acumen of software development teams. The project experts were required to have the following characteristics:
	• Led software development teams in the United States for at least 5 years;
	• Their teams exhibited excellent team dynamics and high project completion rates;
	• Possessed soft skills acumen.
	Software development included internal and external software solutions.
	A third-party service, User Interviews, recruited participants for the project. This proprietary service gives researchers access to over 400,000 vetted members of the company’s community (User Interviews, n.d.). The recruitment announcement included ...
	Experts were told to expect four rounds of online surveys during a 4-to-6-week period, each requiring between 15 and 30 minutes to complete. User Interviews compiled a list of qualified members interested in participating in the project. I vetted the ...
	The panel size of industry experts is also essential to produce quality output results (Skulmoski et al., 2007). While Vernon (2009) claimed that panel size did not correlate to a study’s effectiveness, Skulmoski et al. claimed larger groups may produ...
	Data Collection and Analysis
	The instruments used for each round are pivotal to a successful modified Delphi study. The literature review guided the creation of the Round 1 instrument; each subsequent round emerged from the previous round’s results.
	Participants
	Table 3 provides the participants in the study and their backgrounds, expertise, and experiences. I reviewed the backgrounds of 46 expert applicants. Of those, 19 were rejected due to not having the required experience (i.e., 13 had less than 5 years ...
	Table 3
	Data Collection
	Data Analysis and Preliminary Findings
	Table 7
	Table 8
	Table 9
	Note. Comments are provided verbatim.
	Discussion and Implications
	Figure 3
	Application to the Literature
	Project Application and Recommendations

